Mechanical toy



B; ZABEL MECHANICAL TOY Nov. 9, 1926.

Filed Nov. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m W H Nov. 9 1926.

B. ZABEL MECHANICAL TOY Filed NOV. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I B a INVENTO ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 9, 1925.

BRUNO ZABEL, or PITTSBURGH, YENNSYLVANIA, assrenon r 'rosoA IZABEL,

FEURA BUSH, new YORK. I I

.MECHANICAL TOY. I

Application filed November 25, 1224. Serial No. 752,168.

This, invention is for a mechanical toy of the type in which a gravity propelled object is guided alternately from one end of the track to the other by a rocking movement of the track, and caused to loop-the-loop during such travel. I

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a practical mechanical loop-the-looptoy wherein the action is entirely automatic. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanical toy having a looped track and a novel means for supporting and rock ing the track.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a toy so timed as to ensure the proper action of the gravity propelled object, and to provide a toy which may be cheaply manufactured and compactly packed.

These and other objects and advantages may be attained by my invention, which may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a toy constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is adiagrammatic view, illustrating the position of parts at the beginning of a cycle of movements of the car or gravity propelled'object; i I I Fig. 4 is a similar view indicating the position of parts just after the car has made the loop; I

Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating still another position in which one end of the track is in its lowermost position and the other end highest; and

Fig. 6 is a detail View of the pivotal suspension for the track; Fig. 7 is a detail View of a slight modification.

In the drawings, 5 designates a suitable base of sheet metal or other suitable material. Secured to the base is a suitable track supporting frame or bracket, preferably in the form of a curved flanged strip 6 having a widened upper end 7 ears 8. I

Passing through these ears and through upright lugs 9 on a cross strip 10 secured to the top of the loop 11 of the track, is a pin 12. The track is preferably made of channeled sheet metal and comprises a single central loop 11, which is necessarily helical, having tangential bottom extensions 11% The outer ends of the extensions, which project from which depend upwardly at an angle to the horizontal, are

preferably detachably connected at 13 with the position of the track forming the. loop, the extensions beingdesignated as 14. The type of joint may be similar to that shown in my United States Patent No. 1,469,? 10, dated Qctober 2, 1923.. At the outer free ends of the track sections 14: are uprightstops 15 A large part of the inner area of the tracks is punched out to make them as light as possible. I,

While the major length of the extensions 14 is, when the loop is in a central position, as shown in Fig. 1 ,.ang.ular .to the horizontal, the outer ,end' portions 14 are substantially horizontal. When the track is rocked, as it may rock on pin 12 to lower, one end of the track and raise the other, the portion 1 1: on the higher end will. incline toward the loop, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5,v While the portion 14 at the lower end will'slope away from the loop. This is .important. The track is substantially balanced on the pin 12.

.Mounted on the base is a suitable motor, such as spring motorl16, having a crank or eccentric pin 17 driven thereby. A link 19' connects eccentric pin or crank 17 with the track at a point directly below the pivot point'for the track. A post 18 may be pro: vided to which the 'linkyconnects, this post being carried on cross ,piece;18?.- I

When the crank revolves,it serves to rock the balanced .tracklthrough post 18 andliiik 19. l/Vhen thelf crank 'is in vertical aline ment,-up or down, with its center of rotation, the track is'in the balanced central po.-.

sition of Fig. 1; When the crank is in the horizontal position toward theloop, one end of the track is in its highest position and the other end in its lowest position, as shown. for-instance in Fig. 5; Whenit is in a dia' metrically opposite position, the high and low ends are reversed. 1 I

Mounted for movement in thetrack is a gravity propelled object, such as a' car A, which is preferably verylight and very free running, and of a width leaving plenty'of freedom between its flanges of the track.

In operation, assume that one end X, at which the car is situated, is moved by the motor or other operating means slightly above the position in which its track portion 14 is horizontal. The car A immediately starts rollingdown the incline, and as the wheels and the side car rolls down, the track continues to move up, increasing its angularity with respect to the horizontal. At the same time, the oppoit end Y s. movi g t w d the hori tal-. If the track stopped moving just as the car started down the incline, it would not have sufiicient velocity, after making the loop, to climb the other end Y of the track. As the passage of the car around the loop requires but an instant, it will be found that the end Y will still be lowering after it has passed the loop. VVhi'le the momentum of the car is decreasing, the angle of its climb decreases. Just as end X reaches its highest point, the car will come to rest on portion 14 of the lower end Y. At this time, end Y will begin to rise, but, since portion 1& is inclined away from the loop until the track is n or l gh y st he. c tral p s io of; Fig.1, the carrwi'll not roll toward the loop until end Y starts to move higher than end- X. Then the Car WiZl'l travel from end Y to, end in the same fashion as from X to Y.

By changing the angle of portion 15!? with respect to then ain slope ofthe sections 14:, the cars could be. retained on the. rising end for a longer period of time, but if thiswere done to any substantial extent, it would be found that the lower end of the track would be rising before the car, with its decreasing momentum, reached the end. 7

h mann r f su pe di g the p track and .of' rocking i'tfron' a point at the bottom of the loop requires minimum power to rock it, so that alight, cheap, motor may be successfully used "It also provides an extremely strong and'durable construction, and provides a construction wherein, the range'of; movement'necessary to rock the track can be conveniently attained. It fur-. ther provides a movement of the loop wherein the bottom ofjthe loop is shifted longitudinally from one extreme to the other while the top of the loopis fixed against longitudinal shifting, This is important in giving the track the proper movement to cause the car to travel back and forth in the manner described. The manner of operating the toy through the link connection and eccentric also adds to the action or attractiveness, from a mechanical standpoint, of the toy.

Instead of having a post 18, the link may connect directly tothe cross-piece 1-8 connecting the two ends of the loop at the bottom, a sf'sho wn in- Fig. 7.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the construction within the contemplation of the invention and under the scope of, the appended claims, it being understood that the form particularly .shown anddescribed' ismerely illustrative of a preferred', embodiment of the invention.

1. A mechanical toy including verticallylooped track, a pivotal suspension for the track at the top of the loop, means for rockingthe track, and a gravity propelled object on the track. p

2. 21 mechanical toy including a base, a bracket on the base having an overhung upper end, a looped track having a central loop and inclined extensions on each side of the loop, means at the top of the loop pivotally suspended from the bracket for supporting the track, a motor on the: base, an eccentric driven by the motor, means connecting the eccentric with the track for rocking the same, and a gravity propelled object on the track. i

3. A mechanical toy including a base, a bracket on the, base having an overhung upper end, a looped track having a central loop and inclined extensions on each side of the loop, means at the top of the loop. pivots allysuspended f-rom the bracket for supporting the track, a motor on the base, an ecccentric driven by the motor, means con-- necting the eccentric with the track at the center of the loop directly below its point of suspension for rocking the same, and a grav ity propelled object onthe track.

4i. A mechanical toy including a pivotally supported track comprising a central loop and inclined extensions, car-receiving terminals at each end of the track, agravity propelled car on the track, a motor, and means for transmitting a rocking movement from the motor to, the trackto impart a continuous oscillating movement thereto, said terminals being angul-arly disposed to, the main slope of the inclined extension in such manner as to be horizontal substantially midway between the upper and lower; limits of rocking movement of the track.-

5. A mechanical toy havinga vertically looped track with inclined extensions at each side of the looped portion, means for movmg the bottom of the loopback and forth in, the direction of; the length of the track, said support maintaining the upper part of the loop in a substantially fixed position,

6; Ar mechanical toy including a base, a curved bracket onthe base having an upper end overhanging the base, a track having inclined extensi'onsand a central loop, which loop is partially disposed under the curved bracket,means at the top of the loop for pivotally' suspending it; from the bracket, whereby it, may rock in. a vertical plane, a motor on the base, an eccentric driven by the motor, and a link connecting the eccentric with the track, said eccentric and link serving to, transmit a rocking movement to the track, the inclined extensions of; the track forming substantially equal angles to the horizontal when the eccentric is inver tical alinement with its centerof rotation. In testimony whereof I- aifix my signature.

' BRUNO ZABEL. 

